Vinesh Phogat leaves Railways job before joining Haryana Congress

Vinesh Phogat on Friday (September 6) left her Railways job before venturing into politics. The retired wrestler is set to join Haryana Congress after her heartbreak at the Paris Olympics 2024.

The 30-year-old was disqualified ahead of her gold medal match in women's 50 kg category for being overweight by a few grams on the day of the bout. An appeal was filed at the Court of Arbitration for Sport to reconsider the decision of the International Olympics Committee, but the ruling did not come in her favour.

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Regardless, Vinesh Phogat received a hero's welcome on her arrival from Paris at the New Delhi airport, and a roadshow was organised till her village Balali in Haryana's Charkhi Dadri district. Several congress leaders including Congress' Rohat MP Deepender Hooda, the son of former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

"Serving Indian Railways has been a memorable and proud time of my life. At this point in my life, I have decided to separate myself from the railway service and have submitted my resignation to the competent authorities of the Indian Railways. I will always be grateful to the Indian Railway family for this opportunity given to me by the Railways in the service of the nation," Vinesh Phogat wrote on X on Friday with a picture of her resignation letter to Indian Railways.

Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia are set to join the Congress on Friday (September 6, 2024) ahead of the Haryana Assembly polls, PTI sources said.

"Both Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat will join the party on Friday (September 6, 2024). Whether one of them will contest or both would contest would become clear soon," the sources said.

Both of them met former Congress president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Wednesday (September 4, 2024). The Congress had put out a photograph of Mr. Gandhi with Ms. Phogat and Mr. Punia on its official X handle.

Voting on 90 Assembly seats in Haryana will be held on October 5 and counting of votes will be undertaken on October 8.

(With PTI Inputs)